The Punjab Assembly session, slated to start on Friday, is likely to witness uproarious scenes as the ruling Congress has decided to take on the Opposition on the issue of Justice (retd.) Ranjit Singh Commission report on sacrilege incidents in the State. The government will table the report in the monsoon session of the Assembly.
The Punjab Congress Legislative Party, which met here to draw out its floor strategy ahead of the session, decided that the party should go all out against the Shiromani Akali Dal over the Bargari and other sacrilege cases, and the two incidents of police firing at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura that led to deaths and injuries in the wake of desecration of religious texts. Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh made it clear during the meeting that he would ensure that nobody found guilty in sacrilege cases is spared. “We will not allow anyone incriminated in any case of religious desecration to go scot-free, whoever he or she may be,” he said.
Notably, acting on the key recommendations of the Ranjit Singh Commission, the Punjab police have already included the names of four police personnel in the FIR registered in the Behbal Kalan firing incident in 2015. The role of five other police officers is being investigated.
In the Kotkapura firing incident, a case under various sections of the IPC and Arms Act was registered earlier this month, and the commission has recommended a thorough investigation by an independent agency.
SAD rejects report
The SAD has rejected the report, submitted to the Chief Minister on August 16, and accused the Congress of defaming the Akalis by blaming them for the sacrilege incidents. “We completely reject the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission report which is a Congress ‘sarkari’ commission,” senior SAD leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia said. He sought removal of Justice (retd.) Singh as the panel head and reiterated his party’s demand for a probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge.
(With PTI inputs)